Wednesday, November 2, 2022

a blur of babies, and Tommy and Camille are engaged!

 
The biggest news out of October was that our son Tommy and Camille got engaged.  Yay!  We are so happy with this news - it just makes me smile!  They make a great and easy-going couple.  Tommy has started his job in San Francisco and they are thankful for the new quick and cheap direct flight from SFO to Provo, where Camille is in her senior year of college.  Lovebirds!   They will get married in May. 


We saw them a couple weeks ago.  We all convened in Boston for the weekend and drove up to a wedding (the daughter of dear friends, and she's one of Tommy's best friends) in New Hampshire together.   We saw so many great old friends.  Everyone, young and old, danced and danced, and it just felt like a joyful break-out from the Covid years.  It was so wonderful, just what we needed.  


Then, David flew directly to Japan for 10 days, and I flew home to North Carolina and back to this crew!
 

On Monday, Noelle came over to help with trick-or-treating.  It all started really early and the atmosphere on their street was so festive.  Afterwards, finally a chance for a family photo: 





David and I loved tending the babies while watching the parade of cuteness!  Joe, and then Noelle, passed out candy, while Kaela walked with Charlotte.  

The fall weather has been just glorious here and it's making us feel better about living in North Carolina.  Kaela loves fall and loves the "Fall Festival" quilt (Jan Patek pattern).  I love seeing her use it! 




I've been spending 10, often 11 or 12, hours at Kaela's every day.  She just needs so much help.  My sisters-in-law are helping some, as well as Noelle, and my niece Alyssa.  The church ladies have set up a "hold the babies" signup, now that Joe has gone back to work.   

I did take the morning "off" this morning.  I organized this-and-that in the townhouse, just puttered really, which felt great, then took a walk solo in the sunshine.  This is our street looking back towards our place from the mailboxes.


One of the things I love about this little neighborhood of townhomes, is that there are stairs leading up and in to a small "meditation garden" behind our ring of townhomes - nothing spectacular, but really lovely and sort of hidden.   I feel so grateful to live in a walkable neighborhood.  Now I just need to re-establish the actual habit of walking.   


Now I'm writing this blog post, and it's suddenly afternoon.  I can't even believe it.   After lunch with David I'm heading for a Walmart pick-up and then back over to Kaela's.  My sister-in-law Janette is there now, bless her.  My other sister-in-law Dottie drives two hours each way to come help sometimes - bless her too!  

Eleanor on the left, Amelia on the right.  Kaela paints their toenails - Amelia frosty white, Eleanor bright pink - and yes we check their toenails often!  


No quilting going on over here yet, but I did organize my quilting space in the bonus room:  




I keep my books in the adjacent hallway with all our other books, and I use a guest room closet for the other machines, extras, etc.  I de-stashed and gave my sister in law Dottie a bunch of fabric.  THAT felt great.   I have put child-safe "locks" on several drawers.  

The other half of the bonus room is for KIDS young and old! 



Oh! 

Yesterday morning on the way to Kaela's I early-voted at a nearby community center.    

PLEASE VOTE!  



xo
Cynthia 

12 comments:

  1. Cynthia ¡¡Felicidades !! tantos y maravillosos acontecimientos, Gracias por compartir

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a joy it is to read all the happy things going on in your life! Congratulations to Tommy and Cammile! What a lovely young couple. Pretty wedding tent.
    The girls look they are all thriving and they are so beautiful. Fun halloween costumes :)
    Grandparenthood suits you!
    Life is good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's a lovely post today filled with happiness and joy and sweet baby goodness. I still say to my twin girls, I wonder if I mixed you up? LOL

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Cynthia,
    How wonderful everything is turning out for you and your family.
    So many helping hands, such beautiful neighborhood, such a nice family, young and old.
    Wishing you all the best for the future.
    Queenie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Many Congratulations all around to your whole family! And how fortunate that you are near by to your new and older Grand kids to help and enjoy their company!! Your sewing space looks great. A nice window view spot for your sewing machine, a must in my opinion! Happy days!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Scrolling through your post reminds me how much I miss you. Those babies are darling but I bet a lot of work. I don't know how you can keep them from getting mixed up. It must have been nice to get up Boston way, but I'm glad you like your new location. I took in the quilt show at Pacifico on Friday but may need more time to put a post together, as I am back to work.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I bet their life with the twins is a blur right now! So wonderful you are able to help so much. And it is lovely friends and family are pitching in. Community is awesome!
    Your new neighborhood looks lovely and peaceful. After being in Houston with nice weather I'm beginning to think we made a mistake with WY property! lol
    It feels so great to be with friends and family now! Glad you got to do this in NH. It looks like a beautiful reception.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This post is full of goodness, Cynthia--family, new babies, young love and an engagement, lovely neighborhood, with a peaceful garden in the mix, a great sewing space, and a reminder to vote. I really enjoyed this look into your family and neighborhood!
    You are such a good grandma, but even good grandma's need time to breathe. Glad to hear others are being supportive, as well.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a lovely special autumn for you and your family! Those two tiny stripey punkins are adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations on the engagement. Such a handsome couple. The grandbabies look like they would be so fun to cuddle. I'm so glad your close by - I'm sure your are needed and appreciated a lot! Glad to see you are making progress in your quilting room. I bet you've got all kinds of plans as soon as you have the time.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's exciting news about your son's engagement. A new daughter-in-law for you! Yeah.
    What sweet babies. It's so good you're close enough to help. I had to chuckle at the toenail paint to identify the babies. That's a great way to do it! Do the babies resemble their big sister when she was their age?
    Your quilting space looks very spacious.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  12. How happy you all are being together with family again! Babies take a lot of work and it is wonderful that so many people have pitched in to help. Though it may be wearing, you will treasure this time you could spend helping out so much! Good decision to be back in the States early! Congratulations to your son and fiance!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting! I love reading your comments. As time allows I email replies, if your email is included in your user profile.